Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Dec 21 2020

Enrollment begins for Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs for 2021

Agricultural producers can now make elections and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2021 crop year. The signup period opened Tuesday, Oct. 13. These key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety-net programs help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops, and more than $5 billion in payments are in the process of going out to producers who signed up for the 2019 crop year. Enrollment for the 2021 crop year closes March 15, 2021. ARC provides income support payments on historical base acres when actual crop revenue declines below a specified guaranteed level. PLC provides income support payments on historical base acres when the effective price for a covered commodity falls below its reference price. Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium and short grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat. For additional questions and assistance, contact your local USDA service center. To locate your local FSA office, click here.

Registration is open for the 2021 NSA Research Forum. This year’s forum will be held online through Zoom on January 13-14, 2021. Registration is open now. Register for just $25. Click here to register and for more information. Closer to the event, you’ll receive a link to attend the forum virtually.

Holiday break

This edition of Sunflower Highlights will be the last for 2020. We will return with the weekly newsletter on January 4, 2021. Happy holidays!

A note from our Communications Director

This is my final newsletter as your Communications Director. I will be starting a full-time job at the NBC affiliate in Bismarck, ND after the first of the year. It’s where I got my first job out of college, so my career has come full circle! The decision to go back to broadcasting was not an easy one, especially because of the great experience I have had working for the NSA. I am grateful for all of you who taught me so much over the past seven years. The NSA is a fantastic organization and I am proud to have been a part of it. Thank you for the friendship and the guidance. I will still be writing for the magazine, so if you have an article idea, please reach out to me at jodykerzman@gmail.com. I’ll be doing some ag reporting for television as well, so I welcome your ideas! Thanks for everything!

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Make sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to keep up to date on daily happenings in the industry.

Seed Quality

High Plains	2020	2019
Oil Content	39.4%	39.6%
Foreign Material	6.9%	7.1%
Moisture	7.1%	7.0%
Test Weight	29.0 lbs	28.1 lbs
Northern Plains	2020	2019
Oil Content	43.2%	42.4%
Foreign Material	3.8%	5.9%
Moisture	8.4%	11.6%
Test Weight	29.8 lbs	29.0 lbs

Upcoming events

January 13-14, 2021
NSA Virtual Research Forum

June 22-24, 2021
NSA Summer Seminar Duluth, MN

Markets

Nearby NuSun prices were up 15 to 20 cents at the crush plants last week. High oleic nearby prices were mixed at down 5 cents to up 15 cents. 2021 new crop NuSun was unchanged to up 15 cents with high oleic prices unchanged to up 20 cents. Last week the U.S. Federal Reserve pledged to keep interest rates near zero through at least 2023 and to continue its support for financial markets through bond purchases. The past few weeks the U.S. Dollar has seen a significant downturn slumping to its lowest level against a basket of other major currencies in two and half years. The announcement was positive news for export business as a weaker dollar is very beneficial making U.S. commodities more attractive to foreign buyers. The weaker dollar, good demand and La Nina weather conditions in South America have fueled the rally in commodities on the Chicago Board of Trade. Traders are closely watching South American oilseed production prospects and is guiding price direction. They are also gearing up for USDA’s annual crop production report that will be released in early January. Yield, acreage, and production adjustments for most crops will likely be included in the annual crop production report release. Sunflower yield, acreage and production will be updated from the October estimates. With the holiday season upon us trading will probably be somewhat quiet and may trade sideways until after the holidays.

Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, December 21, 2020 ($/CWT)

	Deliver	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change	2021 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil	Nearby	33.78	40.11	39.96	-.15	37.45
West Fargo, ND	NuSun	19.25	18.95	19.15	+.20	18.90
West Fargo, ND	High Oleic	19.45	18.70	18.65	-.05	19.10
Enderlin, ND	NuSun	19.20	18.75	18.90	+.15	19.10
Enderlin, ND	High Oleic	19.40	18.75	18.90	+.15	19.35
Goodland, KS	NuSun	18.35	18.25	18.40	+.15	18.75
Goodland, KS	High Oleic	19.10	19.25	19.40	+.15	19.75

Prices recorded here are believed to be reliable at the time of posting. All prices are subject to change. Contact these facilities for complete market details.

U.S. CRUDE OIL VALUES recorded on Monday, December 21, 2020
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)

	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change
Soybean Oil	33.18	39.48	40.71	+1.23
Cotton Oil (psby)	40.78	55.73	55.24	-.49
Corn Oil	31.00	69.00	69.00	NC